A New Direction in Life

When Luke was born, his car seat was one of those little carriers that can be snapped into and removed from a base in the car. (We'll be getting this out back out and strapping it into our car again before too long!) When he was about five or six months old, he outgrew this car seat and we purchased one that could be used from that point on through the next several stages of development.

The car seat was installed facing backwards and has been that way ever since. But this morning, we decided it was time for a change. Technically, a baby is supposed to be both 1 year old and over 20 lbs. before the car seat is facing forward. So, as he weighs about 24 lbs. (we can tell you exactly next Friday when he has his doctor appointment) and will be a year old in just four days (wow!) we decided this would be a good day. Today was Matt's last day of vacation and it was also the date of our church picnic, which was being held out in western rural Hanover county. We thought this would be a great opportunity for him to experience life in the "other direction" for the first time.

Apparently, he was fairly pleased with the change. He talked almost non-stop the whole way out and the whole way back. We did find, however, that there are some downsides to having your child's carseat facing forward. First, we have a new discipline to master: not looking at Luke too much while driving. Also, gone are the days when Mommy and Daddy can sit in the front seat and have a Slurpee without Luke seeing what Momm and Daddy have ... and asking for some!

Two-Step

Well, today we finally saw Luke take his first two steps. He was standing by the piano holding on to the piano bench with his right hand. I knelt down very close by and held out my hands to him. He took two steps (almost accidentally) into my arms. The best part was that Matt was standing right there with us and saw it happen. I was very thankful for this, as I had been fearing that I would miss his first steps!

I didn't title this post "Walking," as he has yet to repeat this little performance, even when the situation is arranged and he is coaxed. Actually, he is such an accomplished and speedy crawler, we think he'll hold off on actually starting to walk for a while. Matt says this is just fine with him, but I have to admit that I am hoping he'll start walking soon so that when Emma arrives, she can be carried to the car while he walks! Of course, I really am fine with waiting as well, because crawling is so good for his physical and mental development.

It's June?!?!

Yes, it is. Wow! It's hard to believe that Luke is steadily approaching his first birthday! My little baby boy is almost one year old! I felt that as we draw to the end of this first year, I certainly should add an update as to what Luke is "up to" in these days of his eleventh month. So as not to bore anyone, I'm going to do it in bullet form, rather than narrative. If you want more details, ask me, or come see for yourself!

• Going up and down stairs reliably (knows how to turn around before going down). He has also carried this strategy (turning around and going feet first) over to other places where he needs to get down from a high or steep place (getting down from the sofa or Mommy's bed, crawling down into a ditch in our yard, etc.)
• Communicating by showing, such as placing goldfish on the edge of the chair where he wants me to put them for him, or pointing to something to distinguish what he is talking about when he makes the "more" sign. In the grocery store the other day, we were headed through the produce section when he saw the bananas. He very clearly pointed to them and made the "more" sign. So, Mommy bought some. Was that a bad habit to start?
• Eating bigger things (like pieces of bread, crackers, etc.) that he has to take bites of himself (instead of Mommy breaking everything down into pieces for him).
• "Cleaning up." When prompted and guided, he can put duplos back into the truck, Peek-a-blocks back into the bin, shoes back on the shelf, plastic rings back onto the stacker, silverware back into the tray, etc.
• One-finger tasks. Instead of slapping randomly at buttons on toys or light switches that need to be turned off, he is more able to use one finger or his finger and thumb to accomplish tasks.
• Walking assisted. He loves to walk along pushing the duplo cart, a laundry basket, kitchen chair or any other mobile object. We had to make the glass-top side table in the living room off-limits after he pushed it all the way down the hallway.
• Pointing to things and hearing them named. He especially likes to point to the animals and shapes on his wallpaper boarder, which is right beside his changing table. He also likes to point to parts of the face (eyes, nose, etc.) and hear what each is called. No sign yet that he is actually remembering the names (when asked "Where is the turtle?" he doesn't seem to know which one is the turtle).
• Laying on pillows. This one is kind of random, but very cute! If he comes across a pillow on the floor (while I am making my bed, one tossed down from the sofa, etc.) he will crawl right over to it and lay his head down on it, making a kind of sighing sound (probably because whenever he does this, I find myself saying "Awwww")!
• "Nuzzling" and "loving." When I ask him to "love mommy" he will lay his head on my shoulder and/or place his cheek up against mine (depending on how I am holding him) and make the same sighing/"awww" sound as with the pillows. "Nuzzling" is technically (or at least how I introduced it) rubbing noses (i.e. an Eskimo kiss). His version, however, involves opening his mouth and licking and/or sucking on my nose as I try to nuzzle him!
• Feeling the warmth of a coffee cup. When Daddy or Mommy is drinking coffee, he loves to feel it with his face. He looks up to the coffee drinker and makes the "more" sign. When the cup is lowered, he places his face (either his cheek, or his mouth and nose) up against it. Recently, he has been doing this with his mouth open to feel with his tongue.
• Waving "hello," good-bye" and "night-night." He's pretty reliable about this with people he knows. It's hit or miss when asked to say "hi" to kind strangers in the grocery store who have tried to strike up a conversation with him.
• Playing outside. I can't believe I didn't mention this one earlier in the list. He is VERY fond of playing outside. He loves to crawl all over the yard and touch and explore everything (grass, leaves, sticks, rocks ... especially rocks). We have already started to find rocks around the house that he has brought in with him from his adventures. He's very independent while outside. He'll crawl quite a ways away from me and then, occasionally, turn and look around to make sure I'm still there. I'll say "hi" and wave to him, he'll wave back and then continue his explorations. I have to put socks and shoes on him because he will crawl until (and even after) his little toes are scratched and bleeding.
• Big-boy baths. He loves to play in the bath tub, especially now that I give him free range of the tub, instead of confining him to a baby bath tub. If I need to take a shower while he is awake, I'll plug the drain and he'll play in the water while I shower. When he gets a bath, he will stay in until he is taken out. As a matter of fact, the last time we had a nice long stretch of time for bath tubbing, he stayed in fifteen minutes after the last of the water had drained (he played in the tub with water for a good half an hour).
• "Dust-busting." He has discovered how to turn on the dust buster, and knows how to move it back and forth across the floor. I don't think he actually accomplishes anything yet, but it is a skill I am encouraging him to develop!

OK, so I guess that turned out to be bulleted in format, but narrative in content. Sorry! Also, I know I haven't included many pictures recently. I'll try to be better about keeping the camera at hand. Usually all of the things that are so worth capturing are completely out of the blue and over before anything can be done about recording it!

28 Weeks and Counting

Well, Emma and I had our 28 week check-up today and everything appears to be fine. I had some blood drawn so that my iron and blood sugar levels can be checked. I should hear back on that by next week. I am measuring at 29 weeks, which is great. The measurements are supposed to be accurate give or take 2 weeks, so that's right about where I should be.

So, I am officially in my third trimester now, and I am starting to feel it a little. I had to sit for the hymns at church last Sunday as I got out of breath so easily and I have been a little lower on energy this week than I have been for the last 4-6 weeks. My next appointment is in 4 weeks (32), and after that, we go to a two-week interval (34 and 36) and then to a weekly interval (37, 38, 38 and 40)! Wow! Can't believe the time has gone by so quickly!

More Teeth and Other Items

Well, tooth number six is officially through the gum and present. Yes, I know, I never wrote about tooth number five. Well, after the first four teeth had arrived (the bottom middle two and the top middle two) it was clear that the next to make their appearance would be those on either side of the top two - you could feel them through the gums. When the first of these (the one on the left - from Luke's perspective) officially broke through on Sunday, May 7, it seemed like the second would be close on its heels, and I was planning to write about them both. Well, number six finally arrived ... today. More than two weeks later. I guess that just goes to show you how all of these areas of growth and development are so unpredictable!

Last Saturday we (my mother, Luke and I) went to the Flea Market on the corner of Meadowbridge and Azalea. I was supposed to be looking for clothes for Luke (he's into the 18 month stuff now) but didn't find anything. Somehow I am guessing that once boys that age have finished with their clothes, there's not much left to pass on to the next fellow ... hmmm. Anyway, we did find some really cute dresses for Emma and a ride-on toy for Luke (his first). He loves to play in the yard so much and I really wanted him to have something to use in the yard. Funny thing is that when he sits on the seat, he can't reach the ground with both feet at the same time!

Luke's newest favorite pleasure is watching the ceiling fans in my room and his. Of course, you may wonder what he does if the ceiling fan is not on. Simple. He looks up at it and makes the "more" sign! It's funny, he uses that sign so frequently that there is sometimes some ambiguity as to what he is asking for. However, recently, he has learned that when I say "More what?" he can usually communicate by looking back and forth from me to whatever it is he wants. When he has food options, I can hold two things in front of him and he can tell me which he wants by looking directly at it while signing. Amazing. I'm convinced that there is so much more going on in a baby's mind than I ever realized!

"First" Haircut

Well, technically, his first haircut was a few weeks ago. The hair over his ears was getting so long and shaggy, hanging into his ears, I thought it would be simple to snip, snip and trim up just that part. So, my first experience with cutting hair was not successful. But we need not discuss that further.

This, his official first haircut, was completed with the assistance of his Nannie (my mom). OK, so maybe it would be more accurate to say that she completed it with my help, as my main contribution was supplying the fruit puffs and holding his head still. But in the end, he wound up with a cute little cut, but still looking very much like a little boy. Yes, I hated to see those little curls go, but the other option was to let it get longer and longer until Luke's daddy (ever protective of the male-ness of his little guy) pulled out the electric clippers and gave Luke a style like his daddy's! And I did save some of those little curls. Besides, as I told my mom, my consolation is that we have a little girl on the way, and her hair can get as long and curly as it likes!

"Biter Biscuit?" "More, Thank You"

Well, the next sign we have been working on with Luke is "Thank You." I figured this would be a little more difficult as it is rather abstract, compared to "more." With "more" there is a direct result. Not so much with "thank you." So, I asked some friends how they taught "thank you" and it was suggested that I hold out the item, but don't let go of it until Luke said "thank you." This was a fine idea, except that the items he usually asks for are served on a spoon (like banana) or too small for me to imagine both of us holding on to it at one time (like Cherios or Goldfish crackers). So we came up with a new plan. When he asked for "more" I would put small items on his tray, but not let him touch them until he said "thank you." (Of course, what this meant was that I was holding his hand and doing the motion for him.) The sign for "thank you" involves touching your chin with your fingers and then bringing your hand down.

Yesterday, he was sitting on the kitchen floor and I was offering him a piece of some banana bread I had made. He continued to give the "more" sign from about three feet away. I was trying to encourage him to come over to me to get the bread. Finally, he started signing "more" followed by putting his fingers into his mouth. At first, I thought he was saying "More! Right in here!" But then I realized that this was his way of signing "thank you"! Apparently, he has decided that since he has to do both the "more" sign and the "thank you" sign before he gets to eat, he might as well do them both at the same time and get it over with! Hence the second half of the title of this post.

The first half of the title of this post relates to a treat that the "Easter Bunny" brought to Luke. "Biter Biscuits" are like hard-to-dissolve crackers. It takes several minutes of chewing, gumming, gnawing or whatever a child is capable of doing to get even a piece into your mouth. However, in the meantime, baby is amply rewarded with biter-biscuit soup: a delicate combination of biter biscuit and drool. This soup not only covers the mouth, but also the nose, cheeks, bib, hands and anything touched by the hands. As you can see in the picture below, this is not at all disturbing to Luke!

In other news, Luke's fourth tooth (top right front from his perspective) has finally come in. (By "in" I mean that you can actually feel the edge of it through the gum, as opposed to yesterday where you could feel the tooth, but it was still encased in the gum. It will be some time before it shows up in photos like the other three.)

Ten Months!

Wow! It sure is hard to believe that our little guy is already ten months old. As I take a moment to reflect on these last ten months, I think my primary feeling is surprise at how much change and development can take place in such a short amount of time. Here is a summary of what Luke is "up to" these days:

Communication

• signing "more"
• waving hello and goodbye (including waving to a musical toy that says "Bye-bye" when it is turned off)
• clapping (seems to mean "I like me, don't you?")
• putting his hands on the edge of his high chair to signify that he is ready to get "down"
• working on learning to sign "thank you" for food and other items

Transportation

• crawling furiously
• pulling up on all kinds of objects (furniture, mommy's legs, etc.)
• moving along the edge of a piece of furniture holding on with one or two hands
• moving from one object (like the coffee table) to another (like the sofa) when he can reach both at the same time

Nutrition

• asks for anything Mommy and Daddy (or even complete strangers) are eating
• likes: bread, bananas, grapes, fruit puffs, cherios, Goldfish crackers, apple juice
• has tried (with success): meatballs, lemons, black olives, ice cubes, jelly, pineapple
• has also tried (without success): corn, peas, carrots

Chores

• turning off light switches when we leave a room
• emptying the silverware tray (from the dishwasher onto the floor)
• taking out the trash (especially from the wastebaskets in the office onto the floor)
• reorganizing the pots and pans (on the floor in front of the cabinet)
• exercising the cats (mostly Charley, whom Luke is fond of "chasing" around the house)
• grocery shopping (holds the list for Mommy)

Favorite Activities

• crawling to the door when Daddy comes home
• playing with Daddy
• patting Daddy's head
• taking a bath (or a shower with Daddy)
• peeking at whomever may happen to be taking a shower (not shy about pushing aside the shower curtain and leaning in to look, even when it involves getting wet)
• dropping toys (or cat toys) into the bathtub
• playing with Peek-a-Blocks
• sitting with one leg out in front of him and one leg tucked under him
• trying to figure out how things work (the latches on his high chair and the Snuggli, especially)
• playing with drawer and door handles
• opening and closing drawers and doors
• pushing the cat door in and out
• dropping things into the garage through the cat door
• looking out the front door
• playing with any kind of paper
• testing out the sounds a Duplo block can make when banged or rubbed on all different surfaces in the house
• pushing on the plastic-covered seat pad on his toy chest because it makes a crinkly sound
• watching Dr. Phil

Of course, we can't help but to be proud of our little guy, but mostly we are very thankful to the Lord for the wonderful blessings he has brought into our lives through this little boy. Please continue to pray for us as we learn how to be godly parents and to serve Him through loving and training Luke each day.

Definitely a Girl

Emma and I had our 24 week check-up today. We had another ultrasound. This one was referred to as a "gender check". The technician said right away "It's definitely a girl!" We got some wonderful profile shots of our little girl. Personally, I think she looks a little like Luke, but it's so hard to tell in an ultrasound photo. Emma is growing right on schedule and was super active during the ultrasound and check-up. All seems to be going well!

Sweet Success!

I wish you all could have been there to witness this moment. It wasn't particularly amazing or earth shattering. It was just so precious and wonderful to see the joy of a real "light bulb moment" first hand.

As I mentioned earlier (see Signs of Despiration) we have been working to teach Luke the sign for "more". Tonight, I was sitting in the living room, and Luke was crawling around on the floor playing. Then, as clear as could be, he made the "more" sign to me. Not like a clap. Fingers together, tapping. I said "more" to him, to confirm what he was doing. Then, I took him and put him in his high chair so that he could have some tangible confirmation of what he was doing.

I got out a really yummy butter croissant that I had just bought today. I gave him a little piece to eat and then I asked him if he wanted "more." First, he just clapped. As he was clapping, I said "clap, clap, clap." Then, he switched to the "more" sign. I said "More! Good boy!" and gave him some more of the croissant. He seemed really pleased with himself. But it got even better. You could just see the excitement in his face as he gradually realized that he was actually communicating with me.

He began a game. When he was finished with his little bite, he would begin clapping. I would say "clap, clap, clap" and then he would switch to the "more" sign, and I would say "more" (and give him so more to eat). When this happened, right on his cue, he began laughing hysterically. I have never seen him laugh so hard at anything - especially if it doesn't involve being tickled or tossed up in the air. This game continued for a full 10 or 15 minutes following the same pattern - clap, more, laugh! Matt came in to observe the fun.

Of course, it was wonderful to see that he had made the connection about the meaning of the sign, but it was far more fun to see how excited he was that he could "make" Mommy say different things based on what he was doing! What a joy to watch a little boy develop his God-given skills of interpersonal communication! The only question now is what sign to teach him next!